• To forward irregularities, corruption to CIABOC and CID 

The Parliamentary Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) is in the process of reviewing activities in 457 institutions that fall under its purview, and any findings of irregularities or corruption will be forwarded directly to the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). 

Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (22), COPE Chairperson, Dr. Nishantha Samaraweera said that in the past, COPE was only able to submit its reports to the relevant Parliamentary process, but that recent changes now allow the Committee to directly send its reports to the CIABOC or the CID when necessary.

He added that many investigations carried out in previous years had remained incomplete, and the Committee is now revisiting those matters as part of its review process. "COPE oversees 457 State-owned institutions, and we can examine any activity that has taken place within those institutions at any given time." He said that the Committee is currently engaged in reviewing records and activities across these institutions, adding that if any irregularity or corruption is detected, those findings will be formally referred to the CIABOC and the CID for further legal action.

These remarks come in the wake of recent amendments to the Parliamentary Standing Orders that expanded the powers of both the Committee on Public Accounts and the COPE. The amendments allow both Committees, when they uncover evidence of serious financial fraud, bribery, or corruption, to directly report such matters to the CIABOC or to the Inspector General of Police, instead of waiting to first submit reports to Parliament and follow the earlier process.